The activity kicked off with the screening of educative reportage “MISINFORMATION IN ECONOMY” and continued with the presentation and discussion of the panel composed by Kreshnik Gashi, Member of the Kosovo Press Council, correspondent of Reporters without Borders for Kosovo and managing editor of KALLXO.com; Lamir Thaçi, Information Officer at Food and Veterinary Agency of Kosovo; Visar Prebreza, Managing Editor at KALLXO.com
The highlight of the debate raised by the panelists comprised of a set of points starting with the fact that the businesses are among the biggest producers of fake news. Whether the news is that the products are dangerous or successful is part of propaganda aimed at increasing or decreasing the purchase of certain product, they said.
The fake news on the economy circulating in recent years in Kosovo included the possible bankruptcy of banks, the danger from some food products and that the market will lack supplies. The fake news was intended to boost sales and harm competition
With the start of the war in Ukraine, fake news intensified and citizens were bombarded with information of a fuel crisis.
Young participants in the debate were advised on how to verify the accuracy of information by identifying which actors are competent to give information on products and other methods that assure deep research and bring true information.
Participants were instructed to share with their peers the knowledge they reached during this activity of reportage followed by a panel discussion.
Thewactivity was carried out within the UNMIK-supported project “Addressing disinformation through fact-checking journalism”.